4500-year-old skeleton found floating in Nettuno

Archaeologists have found an ancient skeleton in a flooded tomb in the bushes on the public beach of Nettuno.

(World War II buffs might recognize Nettuno as one of the landing points along with Anzio of the Allied forces’ invasion of Italy in 1944.)

At first they assumed it was Roman because, you know, Rome, but he turns out to be way, way older, like 5000 years old. That makes him just a few hundred years younger than Otzi the Iceman.

Archaeologists believe the warrior was likely killed by an arrow, part of which was found among his ribs, [Carabinieri art squad official Raffaele] Mancino said. There was also a hole in the back of the skull, and six vases and two daggers were found buried nearby.

He’s been named “Nello” after the archaeologist who found him.

They suspect this tomb is part of a larger necropolis in the area instead of a one-off burial of a warrior who died on the spot, so more research in the area is sure to follow.

On a side note, props again to the Carabinieri art squad who busted antiquities fences like Giacomo Medici and former Getty curator Marion True, protected ancient sites in Iraq when the US military had no interest in so doing, and have now stumbled on this rare find while on a “routine check” of archaeological spots. :notworthy: